Abstract

Optimal glass fiber/epoxy composite conditions were investigated as functions of different epoxy resin structures. Bisphenol-A and novolac type epoxies were used as composite matrices. TGA and DSC measurements were used to investigate thermal stability and glass transition temperatures of these resins. A UTM was used, at room and high temperatures, to preform tensile and compressive tests as well microdroplet pull-out tests to investigate the mechanical and interfacial properties of the resins and their composites. Novolac epoxy resin and its composites exhibited better mechanical and interfacial properties than bisphenol-A and its composites. It was also observed that the shape of microdroplet on the glass fiber was significantly narrower for the novolac resin than it was for the bisphenol-A epoxy resin.